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Suspicious trailer fire in Scott County leaves mother of 2 without home

Suspicious trailer fire in Scott County leaves mother of 2 without home

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Updated: 11:58 PM EDT Aug 23, 2019

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>> WE LOST EVERYTHING BUT OUR CLOTHES. IT’S A HARD THING TO BOUNCE BACK FROM. TRE: A HOME IN PROGRESS. >> GUTTED THE WHOLE PLACE. REBUILT IT FROM THE WALLS, THE FLOOR JOISTS. TRE: FOR A MOTHER AND HER TWO CHILDREN. >> IT WAS JUST AN ALUMINUM CAN TO MOST PEOPLE, BUT I JUST WANTED A PLACE TO CALL OUR OWN FOR ME AND MY KIDS. TRE: DESTROYED BY AN EARLY MORNING FIRE ON SUNDAY, LEAVING JOSI MCQUEEN’S TWO YEARS OF HARD WORK AS NOTHING BUT DEBRIS AND ASHES. >> MY KIDS BABY PICTURES, THEIR BABY BOOKS, THINGS THAT I KEPT FOR THEM OVER THE YEARS. >> JUST THINGS THAT WOULDN’T MEAN SOMETHING TO SOMEONE ELSE, BUT MEANT THE WORLD TO ME. TRE: WHILE NEIGHBORS WHO DIDN’T WANT TO GO ON CAMERA TELL US THEY DIDN’T SEE MUCH THAT DARK EARLY MORNING, BUT WHAT THEY DID SEE COULD SHINE LIGHT ON THE CASE. >> NEIGHBORS SAID THEY HEARD A LOUD TRUCK, THEY SAW HEADLIGHTS, AND BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, IT WAS PRETTY MUCH GONE. TRE: WITH THE TRAILER UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THE TIME, INVESTIGATORS WITH THE INDIANA STATE FIRE MARSHAL TELL US THERE WAS NO WORKING ELECTRICITY OR WATER. LEAVING THEM TO BELIEVE THE FIRE WAS SOMEHOW SET. >> I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY. TRE: IT’S AN INCIDENT THAT’S LEFT MCQUEEN FEELING HOPELESS. >> I’M JUST KIND OF HEARTBROKEN AND I FEEL DEFEATED. TRE: BUT AS FUNDRAISING EFFORTS BEGAN POURING IN FROM THE COMMUNITY, >> UNBELIEVABL I’M NOT THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO WOULD ASK FOR HELP, BUT THEY HAVE ALL PITCHED IN. TRE: MOVING FORWARD FROM THIS, SHE SAYS, IS A STEP SHE WILL TAKE. >> I’M TRYING TO KEEP MY HEAD UP AND TEACH MY KIDS TO NEVER STOP, DON’T LET NOTHING KEEP YOU DOWN. THAT WAS MY WHOLE PURPOSE IN DOING THE HOME. A LOT OF PEOPLE TOLD ME THAT I COULDN’T DO IT. TRE: IN SCOTT COUNTY. >> MAYBE, LOOK IN MY CHILDREN’S EYES AND APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT YOU LOOK FROM THEM. TRE: I’M TRE WARD, WLKY N

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Suspicious trailer fire in Scott County leaves mother of 2 without home

A Scott County trailer under construction was burned to the ground under what Indiana authorities believe were suspicious circumstances. "We lost everything but our clothes," homeowner Josi McQueen said. "It's a hard thing to bounce back from."A home in progress for a mother and her two children was destroyed by an early morning fire on Sunday, leaving McQueen's two years of hard work as nothing but debris and ashes."(We'd) gutted the whole place. Rebuilt it from the walls, the floor joists," McQueen said."It was just an aluminum can to most people, but I just wanted a place to call our own for me and my kids." Neighbors said they didn't see much that morning, but what they did see could shine light on the case"Neighbors said they heard a loud truck. They saw headlights, and by the time the fire department was called, it was pretty much gone."With the trailer under construction at the time, investigators with the Indiana State Fire Marshal said there was no working electricity or water, leaving them to believe the fire was somehow intentionally set.It's an incident that's left McQueen feeling hopeless."I just want to know why," McQueen said. "I'm just kind of heartbroken and I feel defeated."Fundraising efforts have begun pouring in from the community, and McQueen said she is moving forward. "(It's) unbelievable. I'm not the type of person who would ask for help, but they have all pitched in," she said. "I'm trying to keep my head up and teach my kids to never stop, don't let nothing keep you down. That was my whole purpose in doing the home. A lot of people told me that I couldn't do it." If you'd like to donate, a GoFundMe page has been set up.

SCOTT COUNTY, Ind. —

A Scott County trailer under construction was burned to the ground under what Indiana authorities believe were suspicious circumstances.

A home in progress for a mother and her two children was destroyed by an early morning fire on Sunday, leaving McQueen's two years of hard work as nothing but debris and ashes.

"(We'd) gutted the whole place. Rebuilt it from the walls, the floor joists," McQueen said."It was just an aluminum can to most people, but I just wanted a place to call our own for me and my kids."

Neighbors said they didn't see much that morning, but what they did see could shine light on the case

"Neighbors said they heard a loud truck. They saw headlights, and by the time the fire department was called, it was pretty much gone."

With the trailer under construction at the time, investigators with the Indiana State Fire Marshal said there was no working electricity or water, leaving them to believe the fire was somehow intentionally set.

It's an incident that's left McQueen feeling hopeless.

"I just want to know why," McQueen said. "I'm just kind of heartbroken and I feel defeated."

Fundraising efforts have begun pouring in from the community, and McQueen said she is moving forward.

"(It's) unbelievable. I'm not the type of person who would ask for help, but they have all pitched in," she said. "I'm trying to keep my head up and teach my kids to never stop, don't let nothing keep you down. That was my whole purpose in doing the home. A lot of people told me that I couldn't do it."